With Qatar receiving good showers on Monday and more expected today (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday), the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) is on alert and active in ensuring smooth traffic flow on roads by taking emergency steps.
Ashghal has chalked out several measures to ensure there is no rainwater accumulation on roads across Qatar.
Rainwater catchment points (hot spots) are identified by Ashghal ahead of the rainy season and interim solutions are implemented.
Ashghal implements solutions to help reduce rainwater accumulation in the most vulnerable areas in Doha in order to enhance operational readiness. These include the installation of overland pipes with pumps to clear water from streets and drain it into lagoons away from residential areas.
The recently completed solutions pertain to Education City, Umm Ebairiya, Al Wakra, Al Wukair, Arabian Gulf Street and University Street.
Annual preventive measures are also executed to eliminate the effect of rainwater accumulation. These include the implementation of an operations and maintenance plan for the rainwater drainage network during August and September.
Ashghal cleans gullies in different areas ahead of the rainy season and the cleaning activities continue until the end of the rainy season.
Ashghal also bring in tankers and mobile pumps to clear rainwater. Areas that are vulnerable to waterlogging are identified and necessary equipment and machinery are put in place for quick response and water removal. Priorities are also defined in terms of securing highways, all tunnels, internal roads, schools zones and health facilities across the country.
Every rainy season, Ashghal develops a mechanism to overcome rainwater-related issues and intensifies training for its staff members in order to help them improve the complaint redress time and ensure fast response in dealing with water accumulation.
Among the major projects being undertaken is the Mesaimeer Surface and Groundwater Drainage Tunnel Project. Upon completion, the project will ensure the proper discharge of surface water and rainwater.
The main tunnel at Mesaimeer will connect the existing and future drainage networks. The tunnel will “operate to drain surface water from sub-networks located in different areas, spread over an estimated 170sq km area, and minimise rainwater catchments, especially in tunnels, as it’s connected with rainwater drainage networks in 22 tunnels” (for vehicles).
The tunnel project will also decrease the surface water level and reduce pumping costs in construction projects across the country. Besides, it will help preserve the foundations of buildings by reducing water logging.
In addition, there are many integrated infrastructure projects currently under way in various areas. “Ashghal has raised the rainy season emergency alert and mobilised the necessary equipment to clear water accumulation in different areas in Qatar,” a tweet said on Monday.
The emergency works are implemented through liaising with work teams from Ashghal, various municipalities and other government bodies.
“Until now, has not affected the traffic flow and all main roads and tunnels remain open to traffic,” it was added in the tweet.